Dispensing valve having rubber-like dispensing head



June 17, 1969 J. A. GROSS 3,450,314

DISPENSING VALVE HAVING RUBBER-LIKE DISPENSING HEAD Filed May 31, 1967 Sheet of 3 I \a CL 1 S 29 5: 56 as \9 E" FlG. 8 ,IB

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SW, JEROME A. GROSS 1 l 4, I I I c b Ml 'x J. A. GROSS June 17, 1969 DISPENSING VALVE HAVING RUBBER-LIKE DISPENSING HEAD Sheet 2 of3 Filed May 31, 1967 FIG. 4

FIG. '53

FIG. 7

am 4 JEROME A. GROSS Fla June 1'7, 1969 J A, GROSS 3,450,314

DISPENSING VALVE HAVING RUBBER-LIKE DISPENSING HEAD Filed May 51. 1967 Sheet 3 of s l 4| a ll I 57 k l4 HI '1 H V II! U 5e\ 25 lb J J Q h I I i l l I ll FIG. l5

JEROME A. GROSS wings/W52 United States Patent 3,450,314 DISPENSING VALVE HAVING RUBBER-LIKE DISPENSING HEAD Jerome A. Gross, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Clayton Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 31, 1967, Ser. No. 642,594 Int. Cl. B65d 83/14 US. Cl. 222402.24 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background 0 the invention Single-use pressure dispensers, such as used for shaving lathers and aerosol sprays, ordinarily employ a movable rigid valve member, usually a tubular spout, which closes at its inner end against a rubber seal within the dispenser. Such spouts are not readily cleanable nor is pressurizing gas readily introduced through them. Valves which are to be actuated by pushing downward are ordinarily made up of many separate parts: typically a plastic adaptor cup onto which a syphon tube may be mounted, a spring, a sealing grommet, a tubular valving spout closing against the sealing grommet and projecting outward through it, and an outer dispensing head mounted on the outer end of the spout. If, instead of foams and sprays, the product to be dispensed is a heavy paste, such as for cake decoration, it may be held in a bag within the pressure dispenser, to be collapsed by gas pressure around it. To hold the bag straight as it collapses, an alignment shoe within the bag may be required to avoid fouling the discharge.

Summary of the invention In the present invention, only two molded members are required for all these purposes, with the advantages of simplified assembly, positive closing under internal gas pressure, fast inflow of pressurizing gas, and easy gradual operation by finger pressure.

Uniquely, of the two molded members, a rigid plastic valve member is firmly clamped in the dispenser top, presenting its headed stem outward of the container top wall. This stem is surrounded by a hollow molded flexible dispensing head, of elastic rubber or similarly elastic material (to designate which the term rubber-like is used hereafter). The hollow elastic head has an integral internal web separating an upper flow conduit portion from its side wall beneath. The web has a bore which accommodates the plastic stem; internal pressure tends to seal the web against the head of the stem. Finger pressure on the head distorts one side of the web unsymmetrically downward out of sealing contact, to open the valve.

In the preferred embodiment, one side of the Wall below the web is rendered unsymmetrically flexible by molding an offset, so that this side possesses little compressive resistance to support the web. Finger pressure transmitted downward to the web of this side will distort the web downward to open the valve. To pressurize the dispenser the web is readily blown down when customary gassing apparatus, which supplies gas under high pressure, is applied over the dispensing head.

The upper surface of the web serves as the base of a flow conduit portion, which may be semi-cylindrical so as to merge with a hollow cylindrical side dispensing outlet. By providing an internal circumferential retaining groove at the outlet cleanable tubular decorator tips or spray nozzles may be removably inserted to be securely held by the elasticity of the dispensing head.

Despite the many unique operating features incorporated in the dispensing head of the preferred embodiment, its cavities above and below the web are readily formed, as will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In the alternate embodiment, for use with a dispenser in which a collapsible bag holds a pasty product, the plastic member includes a bag-alignment shoe, having two legs which extend downward from the rigidly-held base flange and flank the flow opening through it. When pressure collapses the bag, the shoe holds it straight, to evacuate all the contents.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a dispensing valve incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the valve of FIG. 1, shown with a decorator tip secured Within its dispensing outlet.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper portion of the valve of FIG. 1 with the web distorted downwardly for dispensing.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation corresponding to FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a rear view corresponding thereto.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a decorator tip of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a removable spray nozzle, which may be inserted in the same manner as such decorator tip.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment, for use with a pressure dispenser having an internal collapsible bag to hold the product to be dispensed.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the molded plastic member included in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

Description of the preferred embodiments FIG. 1 shows certain members heretofore known for use in pressure dispensing of foams and sprays; these include the pressure container or can a having a container top wall b formed of ductile metal and seamed thereto. The top wall b is domed slightly upward toward center, where it is provided with a hollow cylindrical pedestal portion generally designated c having a sidewall portion d and an inward rim e at its upper surface terminating in a circular aperture 1.

In the present invention, extending outwardly through the aperture f is a hollow molded rubber-like dispensing head generally designated 10. It includes a lower erect tubular sidewall portion of larger diameter cross-section 12, having at its lower margin a diametrically enlarged flange 13 presented sealedly against the undersurface of the rim e. The flange 13 is held tightly thereagainst, and thus sealed in the aperture f, by the upward pressure of the enlarged base flange 14 of a rigid plastic valve member generally designated 15. In turn, the valve member 15 is rigidly clamped in erect position, centrally within the pedestal sidewall portion d, by means which include its base flange 14 and a reduced diameter pedestal sidewall portion g, which on assembly of the valve is formed inwardly beneath and adjacent to the lower edge of the base flange 14.

Rising from the enlarged base flange 14 of the rigid plastic valve member 15 is a stem 18, having a relatively small diameter upper stern portion 19 topped by an integral stern head 20. The stem head 20 has a cylindrical side surface 21 and an annular valve-seating surface 22 presented downwardly. An upward flow passage 23 extends through the base flange 14 adjacent to the base of the stem 18, to provide flow communication from beneath the base flange 14 to the outer side of the stem 18. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower end of the flow passage 23 is provided with a hollow cylindrical nipple extension 24 onto which a plastic dip tube 25 may be fitted, to extend downwardly to the lower part of the container at.

Sealing against the annular valve-seating surface 22 is accomplished by an integral internal washer-like web 28, having a bore 29 surrounding the upper stem portion -19 with clearance, and having an upper web surface 30. Pressure within the container, communicated through the flow passage 23, normally maintains sealing contact between the upper web surface 30 and the valve-seating surface 22. Flexing the dispensing head 10, as hereinafter described, so draws the web 28 from the stem head 20 as to open the valve and permit outflow of the dispenser contents through an upper conduit, generally designated 32, of the dispensing head to its dispensing outlet 33.

The details of construction of the preferred embodiment, by which this result is achieved, will now be described. Generally, means are provided to distort one side of the web 28 unsymmetrically downward out of sealing contact with the annular valve-seating surface 22. These means give eccentric compressive flexibility to a portion of the sidewall of the dispensing head 10 beneath the web 28 on the side which is so to be distorted downwardly out of sealing contact; thus, on application by the user of finger pressure above the web, eccentric flexure will draw the web 28 downward at that side. In order to avoid unduly complex molding cores, such eccentric compressive flexibility is here provided by an olfset 35 in the sidewall of the dispensing head 10 beneath the integral head 20, adapted to buckle downward when the finger pressure is applied. The offset 35 is generally crescent shaped, as seen in the upward-looking cross-sectional view FIG. 8 and in the plan view FIG. 6; it slopes upward and inward from a lower wall portion of larger diameter cross-section 12 to a smaller diameter circular cross-section wall portion 36 non-concentric therewith. Thus at the left side of FIG. 1, the larger diameter crosssection wall portion 12 and the smaller diameter circular cross-section wall portion 36 are aligned with each other, whereas their opposite sides are out of alignment and joined by the widest portion of the offset 35. The compressive flexibility of the dispensing head 10 is greatest where the oifset 35 is widest.

The upper conduit portion generally designated 32 includes an inner sidewall flow passage 37 which preferably is semi-cylindrical, its flat bottom wall portion being formed by the upper web surface 30. It continues outward, past the web 28, to the dispensing outlet 33, as a cylindrical outer sidewall flow passage portion 38. Near the outlet 33 is an internal circumferential groove 39, in which supplemental removable dispensing members may be retained by the elastic grasp of the rubber-like material.

The bore 29 of the web 28 is not concentric with the smaller diameter circular cross-section wall portion 36 immediately beneath; as measured from the central axis of the bore 29, it is longer on its forward side, near the outlet 33, than on its aft side remote therefrom. The shorter aft side is therefore less flexible, and may be readily driven downward against gas pressure within the container a.

Means to distort the web 28 eccentrically away from the stem head 20 include the provision, hereinabove described, by which the sidewall of the dispensing head 10 buckles eccentrically. In the portion of the dispensing head 10 above the web 28 are means to drive the web downward; such means may include an exterior reinforcing rib 41 which extends from the top of the dispensing head 10 taperingly downward to a point above the oifset 35. More significant is an internal vertical rib 42 within the upper conduit portion 32 opposite to the dispensing outlet 33. It extends upward from the web 28, abutting adjacent to the vertical cylindrical side surface 21 of the stern head 20, and merges into a forwardly extending rib portion 43 which projects downward from the top wall 44 of the upper conduit portion 32 above the stern head 20.

Operation is shown on the enlarged fragmentary view, FIG. 3. When finger pressure is applied downwardly, onto the serrated finger pad portion 45 at the upper end of the dispensing head 10, the eccentric flexibility heretofore described results in downward deflection of the offset 35. Above the web 28, stiffening effect provided by the exterior reinforcing rib 41 and the internal vertical rib 42 (as seen in the cross-sectional view, FIG. 7) assures that the portion of the web 28 at and adjacent to the internal vertical rib 42 will be driven positively downward from the annular valve-seating surface 22, as shown in FIG. 3. This causes downward sliding of the internal vertical rib 42 abutting the cylindrical side surface 21. In this manner the rib 42 maintains the clearance between the bore 29 and the relatively small diameter upper stem portion 19, and the spaces adjacent to the rib 42 are held open for unimpeded outflow.

Increased finger pressure flexes the offset 35 increasingly downward and withdraws an increasing portion of the web 28 farther from sealing contact with the annular valve-seating surface 22. At maximum deflection, the forwardly extending rib portion 43 abuts the top of the stem head 20 as shown in FIG. 3, and serves to hold open the spaces adjacent to it, for unimpede outflow. When finger pressure is removed, the gas pressure within the container a, aided by the elasticity of the rubber-like dispensing head 10, restores sealing contact against the annular valve-seating surface 22.

The elasticity of the rubber-like material utilized for the dispensing head 10 is availed to retain in the groove 39, any desired removable supplemental dispensing member, such as the tubular decorator tip generally designated 45 shown in FIG. 9, and the spray nozzle generally designated 50 shown in FIG. 10. The decorator tip 45 has a tubular wall 46 with an external ridge 47 adjacent to its inner end, formed to fit within the circumferential groove 39 as shown in FIG. 2. At its outlet it has conventional decorator tip outlet serrations 48. Such decorator tips 45 may be provided in a variety of internal diameters and decorative outlet configurations, to be inserted and replaced at the choice of the user.

Removability of the spray nozzle 50, of FIG. 10, permits its spray orifice 51 to be cleaned. The nozzle 50 has a tubular body portion 52 on which a ridge 53 is formed, and may optionally have a flared horn-like outlet 54 to confine the spray and by which the nozzle 50 is readily handled for insertion and removal.

The container a may be gassed after it has been filled and the container top wall b seamed onto its upper edge. A conventional gassing head, not shown, may be readily fitted over the dispensing head 10 and sealed against the upper surface of the container top wall b or against the pedestal sidewall portion d. When so fitted, gas supplied under pressure greater than the pressure within the container a will readily deflect the more flexible forward portion of the web 28 downward from the annular valveseating surface 22, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1. Such pressurizing gas will thus flow through the hollow dispensing head 10 with great rapidity to the vertical flow passage 23 and dip tube 25.

The alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 11, 12

and 13 has structural portions which, for the most part, are identical with those heretofore described; such identical parts include the entire dispensing head 10. Where identical, they are numbered identically with the embodiment already described; and their detailed description will not be repeated. The alternate dispenser a has, folded within a top seam by which a narrow annular top wall h is joined to it, the upper edge of a flexible plastic bag j, suitable for filling with a creamy or pasty substance such as cake decoration or soft cheese. A rim k at the inner periphery of the narrow annular top wall h supports a conventional mounting cup m, fitted in place after the bag is filled, and sealed by crimping. At the center of the mounting cup In is a pedestal portion c, similar in all respects to the hollow cylindrical pedestal portion 0 heretofore described. Pressurizing gas is inserted into the container a below the bottom of the flexible plastic bag j through the rubber sealing valve n in the container bottom Wall p.

A rigid valve member generally designated 15' has a base flange 14, and a stem 18 arising therefrom like that of the valve member 15 of said described embodiment. However, from the lower surface of the base flange 14' extends downwardly an integral bag alignment means to assure that, when the bag 1' is pressed together by gas pressure, it will be emptied evenly and without fouling a flow passage 23' through the base flange 14'.

In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the flow passage 23' slopes upward from a flow inlet 56, shown at the left side of center of FIG. 11, to a flow outlet 57 immediately above the upper surface of the base flange 14' and shown at the right side of the stem 18. The flow inlet 56 is protected by flanking ribs 59 at the juncture with the base flange 14' of a pair of closely spaced, parallel, downward-extending legs 60. A shoe portion 61 joins the lower ends of the leg 60, to add strength. Vertical grooves 62, formed inwardly on both its sides, give the shoe portion '61 the undulating configuration shown in the cross-sectional view FIG. 13. If at some higher level, opposite portions of the bag should be pressed by the gas pressure inwardly against the legs 60, such pressure will not stop the outflow of any contents therebeneath. Such contents will pass upward through the grooves 62 and between the legs 60 to the protected flow inlet 56.

Bag alignment means for similar purposes have been used prior to the present invention; however no such prior used means was formed integrally with a rigidly positioned valve member, nor was any similar structure provided to avoid the cut-off of flow with the features and advantages of the structure here described.

Various modifications of the principles and teachings hereof may be made, and will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly the present invention is not to be construed narrowly but rather as fully co-extensive with the claims herein.

I claim:

1. A three-piece dispenser valve assembly for pressure dispensers, comprising:

(I) a dispenser top wall formed of ductile metal and including a hollow pedestal portion having an aperture defined by an inward rim, and

(II) a rigid valve member having integrally a headed stem portion projecting outward through said top wall aperture, and a base flange portion, clamped within the hollow pedestal, and

a flow passage upward through the base flange portion to the outer side of the stem, in combination with (III) a hollow rubber-like dispensing head having an erect tubular sidewall enclosing the stem and a flange at the lower margin thereof sealed within the aperture of the dispenser top wall above the clamped base portion of the valve member, the dispensing head further including an integral internal washer-like web having a bore surrounding the stem, and having an upper web surface in contact with the underside of the head of the stern, whereby pressure thereunder normally maintains such contact to seal the dispenser, the dispensing head further having above the web an integral upper conduit portion including a dispensing outlet, and integral means responsive to finger pressure on the dispensing head to distort one side of the web unsymmetrically downward out of sealing contact with the underside of the head of the stem, whereby to permit outflow of the contents of such dispenser through the unsymmetrically distorted web. 2. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said means to distort the web includes means to provide eccentric compressive flexibility to a portion of the tubular sidewall beneath the web, on the side to be so distorted out of sealing contact, whereby on application of finger pressure above the web, said sidewall will flex so eccentrically as to draw the web downward from the valve stem head. 3. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the means to distort said side of the web includes a smaller diameter circular cross-section wall portion, immediately below the web, and a large diameter cross-section wall portion therebeneath and non-concentric therewith and joined thereto by a crescent-shaped offset, whereby flexibility of the sidewall is greatest where the offset is widest. 4. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the means to distort said side of the web includes an offset in the sidewall therebeneath, whereby to buckle downward when subjected to finger pressure. '5. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispensing outlet includes a sideward flow passage having a bottom wall portion at the level of the upper surface of the web. 6. A dispensing valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispensing outlet includes a sideward flow passage having a bottom wall portion at the level of the upper surface of the web, and the side of the web to be distorted is remote from the sideward flow passage, and wherein the means to distort said side of the web includes a smaller diameter circular cross-section wall portion immediately below the web and a larger diameter cross-section wall portion therebeneath and non-concentric therewith and joined thereto by a crescent-shaped offset, and wherein the bore in the web is non-concentric with the said smaller diameter cross-section immediately below. 7. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispensing outlet includes a sideward flow passage having a bottom wall portion at the level of the upper surface of the web, and wherein the upper head portion includes means to drive the web downward at the side at which it is to be distorted. 8. A dispensing valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the stern head has a vertical side, and wherein the bore of the web surrounds the stem beneath the head with clearance, and wherein the means to distort the web includes an integral vertical rib extending upward from the web abutting the vertical side of the stem head,

whereby on downward sliding abutment of the rib 7 against said side of the stem head to distort the web out of sealing contact, said clearance of its bore is maintained.

9. A dispensing valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispensing outlet includes an inner semicylindrical sideward flow passage having a flat bottom wall portion at the level of the upper surface of the web and an outer cylindrical flow passage whose diameter is defined by said flat bottom wall portion, and wherein the dispensing outlet has an internal circumferential retaining groove, together with a supplemental removable dispensing member having a circumferential ridge for elastic retention within said groove. 10. A dispensing valve as defined in claim 9, wherein said removable dispensing member is a tubular decorator tip having outlet serrations. 11. A dispensing valve as defined in claim 9, wherein said removable dispensing member is nozzle having a spray orifice. 12. For use with a pressure dispenser of the type having collapsible bag suspended therein, a three-piece dispensing valve adapted to avoid fouling of the bag as it collapses, comprising a dispenser value as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve member has solid integral bagalignment means extending downwardly from its base portion.

13. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 12,

wherein the bag-alignment means includes parallel legs protectively flanking the flow passage through the base portion of the valve member.

'14. A dispenser valve as defined in claim 13,

wherein the parallel legs are connected, spacedly below the base of the valve member, by a vertically grooved shoe portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,807 6/ 1965 Raehs et al 222-40224 X 1,873,817 8/1932 Buddenhagen 222 X 2,613,016 10/1962 Jarrett et al. 222402.25 2,689,065 9/1954 Schroeder et al 22295 2,693,983 11/ 1954 Howell 2224022 2,746,797 5/1956 Remane 222402.15 X 2,775,483 12/1956 Treharne et al. 22240225 3,158,292 11/ 1964 ODonnell ZZZ-402.13 X 3,158,326 11/ 1964 Remane 222-402.24 X 3,245,582 4/1966 Roth et al. 22295 X 3,357,604 12/1967 Barker 222-402.23 X

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

